The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, ⁴⁶ but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. ⁵⁰ Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” ⁵¹ He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³ So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

⁵⁴ Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. ⁵⁶ They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?”

John 1145-56

Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead. The Pharisees decided that this action was enough. They couldn’t perform miracles like that. If He kept going like that He would turn the whole nation away from them. They would have no power over the people and the Romans would discard them and disregard them.

It is wild the things we think up to do, to manipulate, to lie, to deceive, to twist facts to stay in power or control of situations. They would rather kill this man than to face the fact that He is the Son of God. They would make Jesus the scapegoat. But even in the midst of their madness, God is still working, as Caiaphas the high priest speaks in prophesy unknowingly saying, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” One man would die for all of them, just as God, in His salvation plan would have it happen. Jesus would become and is the Savior of the World.

An interesting point is happening here: The scapegoat is one that bears the blame for others. : one that is the object of irrational hostility. In ministry, there have been many times when the people get upset about something and they come to and blame the pastor for the whole event. They refuse to talk to the person or people who hurt them and rather rail at the pastor instead. The pastor becomes the scapegoat, walking in the sufferings of Jesus. In enduring such things, some have called that, having to eat a poop sandwich, to which then we must also walk in grace toward the offenders. Just as Jesus did. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Have you ever been the scapegoat or blamed a scapegoat?
How can you walk in humility so that you dont fight for your rights nor do you throw someone else under the bus?

Father, forgive me for the times that I have scapegoated someone else to get out of the frustration, hurt, or chaos I was living in. Help me to be humble and to suffer like Jesus did, in silence, humility, and grace when I am the scapegoat. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

All is grace,

Starla